Coupling and universal joint for flexible rods



July 28, 1942. 'w. D. OSBORN 2,291,253

COUPLING AND UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR FLEXIBLE RODS Original Filed May 22,1939 INVENTOR. mum/w D. Osaogzv HTTOR NEy.

Patented July 28, 1942 COUPLING AND UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR FLEXIBLE RODSWilliam D. Osborn, Los Angeles, Calif.

Original application May 22, 1939, Serial No.

275,126, now Patent No. 2,225,129, dated December 17, 1940. Divided andthis application September 12, 1940, Serial No. 356,407

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a coupling and universal joint for rods andparticularly for the flexible rods that extend into sewers, pipe lines,and the like, especially those lines or ducts that are located beneaththe ground and which flexible rods are connected to tools that are movedthrough the ducts for the purpose of loosening and removingaccumulations therefrom.

It is the general practice to utilize various tools for loosening andcleaning out the accumulations from sewers, pipe lines, and the like,such tools being connected to flexible rods that extend through theducts and said rods being rotated by a power driven truck that movesover the ground or roadway, with the flexible rod extending downwardlyinto a manhole and thence lengthwise through the duct or sewer that isbeing cleaned, and it is the principal object of my invention to providesimple and efficient means for coupling the flexible rod to a powerdriven shaft of the motor truck and said coupling means including auniversal joint that enables the flexible tool driving rod to beeffectively operated even though said rod is not in axial alignment withthe power driven rod driving shaft.

The invention herein disclosed is a division of the subject matter setforth in my co-pending application for U. S. Letters Patent on Sewercleaning tool power plant, filed May 22', 1939, Serial No. 275,126, nowPatent No. 2,225,129 dated December 17, 1940.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view with parts in section of my improvedcoupling and showing the same associated with a power driven shaft and atool carrying flexible rod.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through one end of the coupling.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferred embodiment of my invention, I designates a portion of theframe of a mobile power driven truck and mounted on said frame arebearings such as II for a horizontally disposed shaft I2, the latterbeing preferably driven from the same motor that imparts movement to thetruck.

Secured in any suitable manner to the drivceive one end of the body ofthe coupling. The socket bottom is flat and is perpendicular to theshaft axis. This coupling is preferably formed of two short shanks I4and I5 that are connected by a conventional universal joint I6. The endportion of coupling member I4 is provided with a diametrically arrangedaperture Il which when said coupling member is inserted in socket I3coincides with apertures l8 that are formed through the wall of saidsocket. The aligned apertures I7 and I8 are adapted to receive acoupling pin I9, the length of which is equal to the external diameterof socket I3.

Mounted for sliding movement on driving shaft I2 adjacent socket I3 is aflat-bottomed housing 29 that normally covers said socket and whichhousing is yieldingly forced toward said socket by an expansive coilspring 2I that is mounted on shaft I2 between said housing and thebearing II. The housing is complemental in shape to the socket I3.

When housing 20 is in its normal position, the annular Wall of saidhousing overlies the ends of the coupling pin I9, thus holding the samein position so as to couple or connect socket I3 and shank I4.

Suitably secured to the outer end of shaft I5 is a socket 22 practicallyidentical in construction with the socket I3 and formed in the annularwall of said socket at diametrically opposite points are apertures 23.Normally covering socket 22 is a cup-shaped housing 24 that is mountedto slide freely on the reduced end portion 25 of shank I 5 and saidhousing being yieldingly maintained in position upon the socket by anexpansive coil spring 26 that is positioned on the reduced portion 25 ofthe shank between said housing and a shoulder 21 that is formed betweenthe main body of the shank and the reduced portion 25.

Socket 22 is adapted to receive one end of the flexible rod 28 thatenters the sewer pipe or other duct that is to be cleaned, whichflexible rod may carry a tool T designed to scrape and clean the innersurface of the sewer pipe or duct.

Formed through the end of the flexible rod 28 that enters socket 22 is adiametrically arranged aperture 29 that is adapted to register with theapertures 23 in socket 22 and said registering apertures receive aremovable pin 30 that provides a readily releasable connection betweenthe end of the flexible rod and the socket 22.

When the improved coupling and universal joint is in service, thehousings 20 and 24 under ing shaft I2 is a socket I3 that is adapted torethe influence of springs 2I and 26 respectively cover'the sockets l3and 22 respectively and the ends of the coupling pins I9 and 30, therebypreventing said pins from becoming detached from the respective socketsand the flexible rod and shank that occupy said sockets.

To disconnect the flexible rod 28 from the coupling, it is onlynecessary to move the. housing 24 lengthwise upon the reduced portion ofshank 25 against the resistance of spring 26 until the ends of the pin30 are uncovered and said pin may now be removed from the end of theflexible rod and the socket 22, thus enabling the rodto be readilydetached from said socket. 7

To disconnect the coupling and universal joint from the driving shaft12,- housing 20' is moved on said shaft against the resistance'of spring2 I until the ends of pin l9 are uncovered and after said pin has beenremoved, the end of shank It may be readily disengaged from socket T3.

In the event that the flexible rod and the tool carriedther'eb-y arebeing utilized in a sewer or duct that' is in longitudinal ali nmentwith the driving shaft 12, the coupling comprising the shanks M, [5, anduniversal joint 16', may be dispensed with and the end of the flexiblerod 28 connected directly to the socket I? that is carriedby the end ofthe driving shaft [2.

Generally the motor truck that operates the flexible rod and toolcarried thereby traverses the roadway or surface of the ground severalfeet above the sewer or other du'ct that is being cleaned and under suchconditions the universal joint It in the coupling enables the shank l5to operate at an angle relative to the axis of the shank 14 while rotarymotion of the driving shaft I2 is being imparted to flexible rod 23 andthe tool or tools carried thereby.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a coupling and universal jointfor flexible rods that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensiveof manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for whichit is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved coupling and universaljoint for flexible rods, may be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention,the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A coupling comprising a driving shaft, a substantially cylindricalsocket fixed on one end thereof and having a flat bottom whereof theouter wall is flat and perpendicular to the shaft axis, a driven rodhaving one end inserted in said socket out of contact with the adjacentend of the shaft, said socket and rod having regis-. tering apertures, aconnecting pin 're'movably positioned in said apertures, a housingcompleme'ntal in shape to said socket and being freely slidable on andaxially of the shaft to enclose said socket and pin, said housing havinga flat bottom adapted to Contact the flat outer bottom wall of thesocket to limit movement of the housing over said socket'in thedirection of said driven rod, and an expansion spring mounted on theshaft and bearing against the flat bottom of the housing to normallyurge said housing fully over the socket and in Contact against the fiatcuter bottom wall thereof.

WILLIAM D1 OSBORNl

